Latest HTC EVO 4G Update Causing Bricked Devices?

Earlier today, many HTC EVO 4G users got a little excited about an over-the-air update that was released for their devices. The software update was supposed to fix a few bugs and a Wi-Fi issue, but not much else. Many were hoping there would be a little something in there to help battery life a little. Well, what should have been a standard and mostly uneventful update turned out to be a nightmare for some users.

EVO owners commented in our last post that the update fixed Wi-Fi issues, and some updates only took ten minutes at most. However, other not-so-lucky users had this to say:

This update completely killed my phone. Halfway through the install, the phone went blank and it won’t respond to anything now. I brought it to a Sprint store and they confirmed it’s DEAD.

Has anyone else been having similar issues? It appears that it has been happening to more and more EVO 4G owners and reports of bricked devices are beginning to spread across the web. If your smartphone was killed by this update, please let us know in the comments and describe exactly what happened. We’ll try to get in touch with Sprint and see what their stance is and what you should do if your device is affected.

it only bricks if you install it twice. kind of a nobrainer not to install the same update twice though. not sure why people are checking for an update immediately after updating lol. nevertheless, it should not allow users to update if they already have, poor grandma.

Bill Eastman

That is exactly what I did. I installed it during break. During lunch I checked for another update. Kind of like you have to do when updating Windows. The update SHOULD HAVE checked to see what version you were running, and NOT offer it to you IF it is the SAME version as you are running. I went to the Sprint repair store after work, and they said it is DEAD. Since I got mine at Radio Shack, I need to take it back to them to swap out for a new one. Of course I will put the 8gb microsd back in, since I had replaced it with a 16gb class 6. I did a backup of all installed apps yesterday to the microsd, so when (RS says 1 week) the replacement arrives, I can reinstall from the microsd (at least in theory).

downboy

You are brilliant grandpa, lol. The no-brainer is to not write software that doesn’t know it’s already installed, then takes itself out when installed twice.

“not sure why people are checking for an update immediately after updating lol”

Really? You’ve never installed a cumulative patch on anything?

Ollitsac

During the update my EVO just turned itself off. The status light is not even on while it was plugged into the charger. I tried turning it back on but it will not respond. I even reseated the battery, left the battery out for an hour and remove the SD but the phone is still dead.

Damian

The update actually can also show it failed and then on retry it bricks because it truly did not fail. For me the update completed but changed my phone to spanish which was easily corrected.

Roger

The update also made my EVO appear as it was bricked for about 5 min. I'm assuming that was part of the install process though, because instead of hitting the power button 30 times, as I'm sure a lot of owners did, I just let the phone sit and hoped for the best. Lo and behold 5 minutes later I saw the Sprint and 4G logo and now everything is fine.

EvoLve

Instructions clearly state to be patient and let phone update. Mine rebooted more than once (I didn't count, I walked away and let it do its thing). Follow instructions peeps, that's all it takes.

NCAAHockeyfan

phone stopped midway through the update, went black, and now does nothing. 100% factory phone. Radio Shack has none to replace it with… Thanks Sprint

Jon

My phone also went dead half way through. wtf

Rick Sparks

BRICKED my phone. Yes, I got two updates before it did. Yes, it's a factory fresh phone……. no rooting involved. Can't be repaired at a Sprint Repair store… requires a new phone. They even were somewhat in denial that the update caused it…. as I stood there with another person also with a bricked phone !!

Radio Shack where I bought it was GREAT…. had a spare and swapped with me.

Advice for SPRINT – NO UPDATES WITHOUT SUFFICIENT INVENTORY FOR PROBLEMS!

Rick Sparks

BRICKED my phone. Yes, I got two updates before it did. Yes, it's a factory fresh phone……. no rooting involved. Can't be repaired at a Sprint Repair store… requires a new phone. Sprint personnel almost were in denial that Sprint had caused it….. as I stood there with someone else …. who also had a bricked phone !!!

Radio Shack where I bought it was GREAT…. had a spare and swapped with me.

Advice for SPRINT – NO UPDATES WITHOUT SUFFICIENT INVENTORY FOR PROBLEMS!

Rich

Update didn’t brick my phone but it did mess up my apps some are not working at all and my EVO is running really sluggish.

Tim

Phone definitely bricks after second attempt to install update. Just came back from the Sprint store with a fresh replacement for the one killed this morning.

Marmot-CO

Killed my phone too and it was almost new with no hacked software. Now the phone is frozen with only the sync logo on the screen. Removing battery and attempted keyed hard resets do no good. Looks like I'll have to redo all the work I did customizing this phone with a new one. Disappointed!

Scott

Update successful… phone turned off and seemed unresponsive but avoided my temptations and left it alone. A few minutes later it started up like normal and said “update successful.” So if you plan on doing the update… leave the phone alone for at least 20 min before touching it. Took about 10 min on mine. No problems noticed so far

TheRedDog

I performed the updated as prompted. Then I was unable to create new calendar on my exchange server from my evo (but I could see and edit existing exchange calendar items). So I did a soft reboot (turned off via the menu and powered back on) and still the same issue. So I then checked for any updates and the phone prompted me for an update (could have sworn it said 1.47.651.13). It downloaded the update, rebooted itself, the phone started the install, then it just died. Just got off the phone with Sprint support: They are unaware of this issue, but advised I bring it back to the place of purchase and exchange it. The phone was the current stock OS (and not rooted). – BRICKED!

BrianPeppers78

Updated the phone while driving, so wasn't paying much attention to what was going on, periodically seeing the loading bar go through. After it finished, phone shuts off, and stays off. Won't turn on at all. It's bricked. Phone wasn't rooted, had nothing that wasn't available from the android store. WTF sprint? sSeriously.

Ryan Villanueva

Worked great and fast for me. No issues, although I do not use WiFi so it shows no real difference. Although i have barely used it today. Hopefully the battery fix is even marginally better. Maybe it sets it up for the 2.2 release as well? Not sure, but my buddy doesnt see any avaialble update so maybe its yanked..?

Mani

Same thing here… just uploaded, and the whole thing went black. Let it do that for a while cause I thought it was updating – about 20 minutes. It won't turn on. I have removed the battery several times and nothing… I'm hoping it will magically turn back on if I leave it alone for a day. Hopefully it won't take that long.

carpuncher

BRICKED TOO…DAMNIT!

Zaphod

No problems. Don't touch it until it's done and you'll be fine.

cock

Updated during class.. phone was installing update when it went blank.. i left it aloen for the entire 1hr 30 min of class… 1 hr 30 min later phone wont BOOT…BRICKED

john

worked fine for me.

Mike Sciancalepore

Mine is not a rooted phone. I bought it at BB. Update was applied and now my phone is a brick! It will not charge and I cannot perform a hard reset. Problem is this will be my fourth EVO now one I get me new phone. They other two had screen separation issues.

Edward

My phone died. Drove 2 hours to the Sprint store (From work) and was told to either go buy a another phone off of Craigslist or wait 3 weeks till the phone is in inventory. So, I called Customer service and was told they couldn't help me till after July 4th when the phone was 30 days old. So, went to Best Buy and it took 3.5 hours just to get authorized a loaner phone and told who knows when I may get another phone.

Lisa

BRICKED!! Installed update, phone went blank. Will not turn on, will not charge, nothing….Sprint store is out of EVO's.

Gemini Guy

This is some straight bull-ish. My Evo bricked and I only updated once. Why in the f_ _ k is this update and the phone itself does not have a fail safe for this kind of s_ _ t? Sprint and HTC are to blame IMHO. What a nightmare. F _ _ k an update in the future. Sprint is trying to get me a phone in 3 to 4 business days b4 all the fresh purchasers – I'll believe it when I see it. These F _ _ k heads suck.

Red Gekko

My EVO was rooted via unrevoked – did the update from the update button, and all went well. But attempted to root it again using the same method (after the update it was not root) as before. Not able to do it so far. HHmmmm maybe they added a "fix" for that.

Dwayne

mines brick toooooooooooooo this sucks i left my palm pre for this!!!!!!!!!! went to tecg support the cant help cause the never heard about this, then i go to the sprint store and say they never heard or seen anthing like this and suggest that get another one…. this sucks.

RoboJunk

Mine is bricked as well. Happened during a meeting at work, I got so pi$$ed I left early. HTC was no help and sprint could do nothing for me (not even let me keep my number). Now I'm out a 8 year old cell # and my EVO.

On the bright side, in two weeks all of this will be a fond memory. White EVO that works FTW! People say it's fugly, but I'll bet it has zero of today’s EVOs problems.

David

Killed my phone. Made the mistake of trying to install the same update again. I thought it was a different update since it offered to install it again. My mistake.

J.D. Keeling

My phone updated to 1.47.651.1 then a few hours later asked if i wanted to update to 1.47.651.6. Stupidly I updated. Bricked phone. Then I find this. Most of Sprint has no idea. Their repair center said I have to go to Best Buy (where I bought it). I won't be able to reach a Best Buy until AFTER my 30 day warranty is up. GREAT.

Joerg

Mine bricked too. I only ran the update once, I let it sit thinking it was still updating for 1/2 hour after it went dark. Called Sprint support, they never herd of it, but they are sending me a new phone. This is what happens when you design a phone without a physical reset switch!

carlos

my update is awesome now the picture of my contacts sync with facebook in the favorite widget are updated, my wifi its really fast and easy to turn on, this phone its getting beter and beter

LeeRobles

Bricked as well. Getting a refurb from qualcomm? Seriously? A refurb?

Gerson Garcia

I had not really read the news bout any updates, till it prompted me soon as I got home and connected to my Wi-fi. So I let download and install, I saw it taking long so I just plugged it to the charger n walked away. Ate, came back and phone is just dead, tried to remove batt, leave it off, all the imagined steps, nothing's working. Phone isnt rooted, guess I'll take my ass to Best Buy tomorrow n see what they tell me.. Thankfully the wifey works for them, shouldnt have any issues

orene

same exact problem: tried to d the update, it failed saying that it was corrupted. then i tried a second time, thats when the bricked attacked happened. my phone wont respond at all to anything. PLEASE SPRINT, TRY TO ACT ASAP TO FIX THIS PROBLEM OR TO KEEP YOUR NEWLY CLIENTELE SATISFIED

howard

bricked! update killed my factory fresh evo. update alert came up on my phone, so i did what i thought was normal. i accepted the update. it started the process, rebooted a time or two then just went black.left it alone for awhile, came back to check it BRICKED. after two hours on the phone with sprint they tell me take it back to ste store i bought it. two weeks for a new one. refund? credit? i will expect sprint or htc to so something. maybe we should all ban together and do a class act law suit.

Gemini Guy

I'm all In – Gemini Guy here.

Tickedoff

My phone reboots at random times after the update. Should have waited, damn.

Guest

Updated software yesterday; today came up again and was prompted once or twice, just kept hitting yes or whatever. Rebooted a couple times, I just left it alone. Finally said update successful but my voicemail gadget would not load. Just removed from home and added again. Seems to be working fine…

NOTcool Sprint / HTC

I only had my phone for about a week before I finally decided that update was probably okay to install. The phone was running really great and I was really really pleased with it… and then the update and EVO operation went to s***. So I go into Sprint today to simply see if they can flash the phone back to pre-update condition.. or downgrade me to another phone.. (cuz you know they don't Evos in stock right) well the smart a*ss behind the counter just grabs his Evo on his belt and snickers at me… "update all went fine" he says. I told him the phone was not working correctly and he just kept acting like a jerk and saying things like "you should never listen to forums" and "we don't have Evos we can't exchange the phone" and "there's no such thing as 4G yet" (well hell I didn't know.. they ADVERTISE 4G right?) So then he goes on to tell me that "flashing" my phone would mean changing the phone to accept a different provider.. and I'm like NO… Flashing to Factory Reset.. and I'm thinking.. ok this kid is just not very wise. And I was really considering canceling the contract.. and as I was doing that a store manager took over. The store manager / tech was much more WISE.. and he offered to try to flash the phone back to life. He tried for about 45 min to an hour to no avail.. and at this point I was really super pissed off. The manager / tech then saved the day, he brought me a new Evo, pre-update and I am very thankful. I am a new customer to Sprint.. and this update thing.. DOES NOT LOOK GOOD ON YOUR RECORD SPRINT. AND YES I AM YELLING BECAUSE IT'S B/S… I PAYED YOU GOOD MONEY FOR COMMUNICATIONS. I have a family member in the hospital that was really needing to hear my voice today and you failed me. It's just simply not good business and it's really not cool. The Phone works fine and you're lucky I even BOUGHT it… quit pickle clickin around with it and ruinin it for everybody.

christopher

This sucks, I paid my hard earned money and now the Sprint store is out of Evo's and my phone is bricked. I should of bought a iPhone!

Chelsea

Perhaps reliability and customer service are important buying considerations after all.

Ya_boyz_back23

yep my shits fucked!!! and its my second one!!

Chris

Yup my daugther’s is dead as well.

Harshsingh24

i turned off my fone and now its stuck at the sprint 4g screen and just loops and loops. what the …

Harshsingh24

i turned off my fone and now its stuck at the sprint 4g screen and just loops and loops. what the …

Dan_sk877

IT would start to update and maybe about 10% of the bar would fill up then a big triangle with a n exclamation point and an the android logo would show up and would not update. I had to take off the battery and update again, but the same exact thing would happen… so i reboot it and now it wont start.. it will just stay on that reboot menu..(menu when you press the volume key and power button) I dont know what to do… i do have warranty by the way

Dan_sk877

IT would start to update and maybe about 10% of the bar would fill up then a big triangle with a n exclamation point and an the android logo would show up and would not update. I had to take off the battery and update again, but the same exact thing would happen… so i reboot it and now it wont start.. it will just stay on that reboot menu..(menu when you press the volume key and power button) I dont know what to do… i do have warranty by the way

Dan_sk877

IT would start to update and maybe about 10% of the bar would fill up then a big triangle with a n exclamation point and an the android logo would show up and would not update. I had to take off the battery and update again, but the same exact thing would happen… so i reboot it and now it wont start.. it will just stay on that reboot menu..(menu when you press the volume key and power button) I dont know what to do… i do have warranty by the way

Chri55tall

Same here I updated my phone last night and after it did it’s reboot the phone got stuck and took it to sprint and they said they tried everything but not fixable! Thank god I have insurance and called sprint to send me a new one but had to pay $120.00 bucks I think they did it on purpose so they can sell more phones! Fuck sprint!

Dreamnfish

Phone had full battery the night before and was working and the next morning its dead. It will not turn on or even charge. changed out battery with my wifes working evo and still nothing